The top 10 films of 2011 - so far

The year is, surprisingly, more than halfway over, making this an opportune time to check in on the best movies of the year so far. And there aren't a lot of big-budget movies on the list.

Instead, this ranking is heavy with small films, independent or independent-minded movies that outshine much of the major studio releases foisted upon us by money-hungry studios. (This is not a direct shot at "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," but if it plays that way, well, the truth hurts.) It has been a really good year so far for thoughtful movies that actually have something to say.

A list like this is riddled with caveats. The biggest is that studios typically save what they consider their best movies - or the movies they think have the best chance of winning Academy Awards - till the end of the year, on the theory that academy voters have short memories. So there is doubtless more good stuff to come.

Also, not every film included here is truly great. Not enough movies come out in six months to merit that description. (Not enough in 12 months, some years.) And any evaluation includes re-evaluation, meaning that some movies I liked when I saw them might have slipped already, while others get better over time and likely will continue to do so.

So keep that in mind, and if you haven't caught these yet, there's still time to.

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"Super 8"

J.J. Abrams lets his Steven Spielberg freak flag fly in this story about a group of outcast friends who inadvertently capture a train crash while making a movie - and capture something more besides. Sure, the alien/monster/whatever plot thread is important, but the real draw is the story of friendship. Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning in particular are outstanding. Most fun you'll have at the movies this year (so far).

"The Tree of Life"

Terrence Malick's motto might well be "Go big or go home." He tells the story of a 1950s family with a stern father (Brad Pitt), but what he's really after is something bigger. Much bigger. As in, life and death, including the beginning of life - all life, in a stunning sequence in which the universe is created. The movie isn't for everybody, and Malick's imagining of the end of life isn't as successful as its beginning. But for those game for something this ambitious, it's a near-great film.

"Win Win"

Writer and director Tom McCarthy's film about a lawyer and wrestling coach (Paul Giamatti) is both funny and poignant, and gets at the struggles so many people are going through far more effectively than something like "Larry Crowne," Tom Hank's summer film. Giamatti is flat-out great, making iffy ethical business decisions while taking in a troubled wrestler (newcomer Alex Shaffer) who helps out his team. Giamatti's performance is complex and immensely satisfying.

"Beginners"

An older man's wife dies and he announces to his son that he is gay, embracing his freedom and honesty - and then is diagnosed with cancer. Christopher Plummer is outstanding as the father, as is Ewan McGregor as the son, who realizes he has studiously avoided any serious relationships in his life. That could change when he meets Mélanie Laurent's character. Writer and director Mike Mills gets just about everything right in this gentle, delightful film.

"Bridesmaids"

Judd Apatow's raunchy comedies have so far been a kind of bad-boys' club. No longer. In this Apatow-produced film, directed by Paul Feig, Kristen Wiig kicks down the door to the clubhouse and pukes all over it. Wiig, who co-wrote the film, is brilliant as a woman on a downward slide, whose bad life gets worse when her best friend (Maya Rudolph) gets engaged and asks her to be maid of honor. Soon Wiig is competing with Rose Byrne for best-friend status. Laugh-out-loud funny, this should be plenty of proof that Wiig is a big star.

"Poetry"

Jeong-hie Yun is fantastic as a woman struggling to raise her grandson, and learns she's in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. She signs up for a poetry class on a lark and discovers the power and beauty of language, of its ability to transport her. Chang-dong Lee's film is patient, lingering over images, and more powerful for it.

"Everything Must Go"

Will Ferrell gives a terrific performance (just in time, too, because his shtick was wearing thin) as an alcoholic who loses his job and his wife, winding up with all his possessions on his front lawn. He stages a marathon yard sale as he sorts out his life. There's some humor here, but Ferrell mostly plays it straight in director Dan Rush's take on the Raymond Carver short story "Why Don't You Dance," which Rush has added to considerably. A pleasant surprise.

"Cedar Rapids"

Ed Helms proves he can be more than a comedic sidekick in Miguel Arteta's film, about a buttoned-up small-town insurance salesman (Helms) who goes to the big city - Cedar Rapids, Iowa - for a convention. There he meets Isiah Whitlock Jr., John C. Reilly and Anne Heche, and gets thrown off his moral track, to hilarious effect. Arteta doesn't flinch from the uncomfortable aspects of the story, which makes the movie better, and funnier.

"The Company Men"

Ben Affleck continues his career recovery as an insufferable businessman who gets laid off and struggles to find his footing, after assuming - wrongly - that he would quickly find work. Tommy Lee Jones is also good as one of the company's chief executives, who learns that no one is safe from a crumbling economy. John Wells, who created "ER" and "The West Wing," ties things up a little too tidily, but this is an honest, moving look at troubled times.

"Source Code"

Jake Gyllenhaal plays a fighter pilot who suddenly finds himself riding a commuter train in Chicago; as he tries to figure out what's going on, the train explodes. He wakes up in some sort of pod and learns that he's on a mission, and will go back onto the train - in someone else's body - to try to identify the bomber. Head-spinning in the best possible way, director Duncan Jones plays with our minds throughout. There are plot holes aplenty, but Jones keeps the action fast and furious, and Gyllenhaal keeps pace. Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga are also good. And if you figure out the ending, let me know.